Armstrong County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Armstrong County, Texas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 80% of US counties. It ranks 191st of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are drought, hail and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $6.4 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $3,452 per resident. Since 1998 it has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (6 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2026 (8 Ball Fire). No homes here carry federal flood insurance.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Armstrong County
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
- Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
- Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
- Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
- Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | 98.3 | $5M | ||
| Hail | 72.6 | $552K | ||
| Tornado | 24.0 | $296K | ||
| Inland flooding | 1.3 | $248K | ||
| Wildfire | 74.4 | $219K | ||
| Strong wind | 17.0 | $131K | ||
| Cold wave | 8.5 | $51K | ||
| Winter weather | 37.1 | $35K | ||
| Heat wave | 9.9 | $16K | ||
| Earthquake | 12.2 | $11K | ||
| Lightning | 2.4 | $7K | ||
| Ice storm | 11.9 | $6K | ||
| Landslide | 9.7 | $23 |
Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively moderate and community resilience is relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Armstrong County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 12
Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1955
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 512 storm reports in Armstrong County since 1955 and about $1.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on April 13, 1973.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 13, 1973 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 1, 1987 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 13, 1973 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 25, 1987 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 10, 1984 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 28, 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Washburn | $500K |
| Jul 23, 1995 | Hail | Claude | $100K |
| Mar 7, 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Claude | $80K |
| Jun 28, 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Claude | $50K |
| Aug 1, 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Claude | $40K |
| Sep 20, 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Washburn | $40K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 1, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.
Flood insurance in Armstrong County
Check your address flood zone ›National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.
Homes in Armstrong County
Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 886 housing units.
Compare in Texas
All 254 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Harris County | Inland flooding | |
| Dallas County | Inland flooding | |
| Tarrant County | Inland flooding | |
| Bexar County | Inland flooding | |
| Travis County | Inland flooding | |
| Collin County | Tornado | |
| Denton County | Tornado | |
| Hidalgo County | Hurricane |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Randall County | 16 | |
| Potter County | 18 | |
| Gray County | 14 | |
| Swisher County | 13 | |
| Carson County | 13 | |
| Donley County | 16 | |
| Briscoe County | 14 |
Common questions about Armstrong County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Armstrong County?
Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Armstrong County, about $4.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hail is second at $551,623.
How many federal disasters has Armstrong County had?
Armstrong County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1998, including 6 major disasters. The most recent was 8 Ball Fire in February 2026.
Is Armstrong County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 191st highest of 254 in Texas. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.
Do I need flood insurance in Armstrong County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Armstrong County had?
NOAA records list 48 tornadoes in Armstrong County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on April 13, 1973. The weather service has also logged 318 hail reports and 21 floods here.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.